Jeanne Lewin, a Frankfort, Illinois, registered occupational
therapist, didn't set out to start a company; she just wanted
to solve a problem. The children Lewin worked with needed a piece
of equipment that would help them improve their motor skills. It
had to be safe, strong, compact, adjustable and easy to maneuver
and disassemble.

To come up with her product idea, Lewin could have sketched what
she needed and made a prototype. Instead, she used systematic,
creative problem-solving techniques to invent a piece of equipment
called the Tramble--named after a combination of the words
"table" and "ramp"--that encourages children to
move in a fun and playful way. Her product fit the bill so well
that she has sold more than 500 Trambles to therapists in the
United States and Europe.

It's possible that Lewin might have come up with the Tramble
if she'd pondered the problem for a few days or did some
informal brainstorming with other occupational therapists, but
using a step-by-step approach focused her attention on the
challenge and enabled her to expand way beyond her initial
idea.

There is no one patented problem-solving method that works best
for everyone in all situations. But there are many people, like
Lewin, who find a step-by-step process most helpful.

One commonly accepted approach is outlined by James Higgins,
Ph.D., professor of management at the Roy E. Crummer Graduate
School of Business at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. In
his book, 101 Creative Problem Solving Techniques (The New
Management Publishing Co., $17.95, 800-266-8283), Higgins
identifies eight steps to problem-solving: analyzing the
environment, recognizing a problem, identifying the problem, making
assumptions, generating alternatives, choosing among alternatives,
implementing the chosen solution and taking control.

"But following the exact procedure is less important than
knowing some techniques that you can use to learn about the problem
and seek solutions," says Higgins. Out of the 101 techniques
listed in his book, he points to brainstorming and mind-mapping as
basics that every business owner can use.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is probably the most popular creative
problem-solving technique. Many other techniques, including
mindmapping, draw from this basic concept and elaborate on it.

The main idea in a brainstorming session is to generate lots of
potential solutions to a problem. Brainstorming participants offer
solutions as they think of them; each contribution is then listed
in the order it was mentioned, without any attempt to categorize or
link it. During this initial brainstorming session, judgment is
eliminated and wild ideas are encouraged. Suggestions are only
evaluated later, once all the ideas have been exhausted.

"A lot of people stop brainstorming too soon. The secret is
to keep at it after the easy, obvious ideas surface," says
Higgins. "Later, when people's minds are pushed to the
limit, more creative thoughts tend to emerge."

While one person can brainstorm about a given problem, more
varied contributions tend to surface with at least six
participants. "Solving problems totally alone can be very
limiting," says Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., president of RAB
Inc., a creative-thinking consulting firm in Athens, Georgia, and
author of Broken Crayons: Break Your Crayons and Draw Outside
the Lines (Cre8ng Places Press, $16.50, 800-447-2774).
"Involving others can provide insights--even naive points of
view--that offer a different perspective."

Mindmapping

Mindmapping takes brainstorming a step further. This method uses
brainstorming to spark ideas and solutions. But instead of
generating a long list of possible solutions, mind-mapping creates
a structure that displays the links and associations among concepts
and ideas.

As Higgins describes it, mindmapping is a simple process: Write
the name or description of a problem in the center of a piece of
paper and draw a circle around it. Next, brainstorm each major part
of the problem, writing ideas on lines extending outward from the
circle. As you think of more ideas, add branches to the appropriate
lines. You'll eventually end with a map whose lines can be
traced back to the central issue, but you'll also be able to
easily visualize interrelationships.

Richard Wycoff, president of Quadron, a Santa Barbara,
California, communications software company, is an ardent proponent
of mind-mapping--and not just because his wife, Joyce, wrote one of
the best-known books on the subject (see "Additional
Resources" on page 62 ).

Wycoff uses mindmapping for everything from composing memos to
charting his company's future. "At one point we needed to
decide how to include two different concerns into our company
strategy. One: what to do about existing customers and product
lines, and two: how to take a new direction by raising money and
creating new technology," he says.

Using a software program called Inspiration (see
"Additional Resources" on page 62), he drew a mindmap
that outlined the main headings of the plan: executive summary, the
company, markets, products and services, sales and promotion and
finances. Then he mapped items associated with each section. By the
time he finished, Wycoff knew exactly what information to assemble
and how his plan would be laid out.

Before he started using mind-mapping techniques, Wycoff, like
many people, tended to be unfocused and shoot from the hip.
"Urgency took precedence over thought and planning," he
admits. "But this tool helps me to focus and get work done
quickly." No kidding; Wycoff turned out the structure for his
business plan in only half a day.

Mindmapping makes a lot of sense for people who are new to
business and who know they need to create a business plan, but are
frightened by its complexities and unsure of how to start. Simply
place the words "Business Plan" in the center of a circle
in the middle of the page and see how quickly the connected ideas
begin to flow from your head onto paper (or computer screen). If
you've done even a little research on business plans, enough
appropriate thoughts should surface to start you on your way. As
you begin to think about each section of the business plan, make
the title of that section the center of another mindmap. You can
write the business plan directly from the mindmap or turn it into a
more formal outline before proceeding.

Stay Creative

Higgins points out that many entrepreneurs use creative
problem-solving techniques themselves, but as their companies
evolve, routines instilled to manage growth may squeeze out
creative thinking. "Entrepreneurs have no problem starting
companies based on one idea," he says. "But what happens
when the customers begin to say, `We like the product; what else
have you got?' In the beginning, you're so busy getting the
company on its feet, you think there's no time to worry about
the future. But after the `big bang,' it may be a little late.
Develop problem-solving and innovation skills early on, then put
them to work in every facet of your company."

Can You Manage?

How To Be A Boss.

The thought of hiring an employee has about as much appeal for
some entrepreneurs as being the focus of an IRS audit. But if your
business is growing and you can no longer handle the load yourself,
there may be no choice. And if you've never been a boss before,
you're probably going to need some help. Here are a few hints
to ease the way:

Treat your employees as you'd like to be treated.
This seems almost too obvious to mention. Yet many entrepreneurs
are so terrified of giving up power that they intimidate rather
than lead their employees.

"Positive reinforcement works best," says Constantine
G. Pergantis, president of Nite Lites, a North Potomac, Maryland,
indoor- and outdoor-lighting company. "Remember how you felt
when the boss chewed you out? Negativity breeds fear, not
allegiance."

Recognize and reward accomplishment and performance. A
simple "thank you" for a job well done will help any
employee feel valued. But what form of recognition works best?
It's an individual matter. "Be sure to take time to
understand the needs and motivations of each employee," says
Mark Sanborn, author of TeamBuilt: Making Teamwork Work
(Master Media Corp., $12.95, 800-650-3343). "Employers who try
to motivate employees without asking `What motivates you?' run
the risk of failing to motivate at all."

Get organized. Too many entrepreneurs keep their
businesses in their heads. That may work fine in a one-person
operation, but employees aren't mind readers. They need to
understand your rules, goals and expectations. Write everything
down to avoid misunderstandings.

Be an active listener. Set aside time at least once a
month to address your employees' concerns.

Empower employees. "Give them a sense of control
over their work," advises Tricia Heldmann, publicity and
marketing coordinator for the Small Business Development Center at
the University of Connecticut School of Business Administration in
Storrs, Connecticut. "Allow and encourage them to suggest and
make changes."

Control results, not methods. "Be clear on what you
expect your employees to accomplish," Sanborn says. "How
someone gets a job done (as long as they are working ethically), is
less important than the results. Don't control the wrong
things."

Sales & Marketing

Reaching Your Target Market

By Grace Butland

As tempting as it is to think otherwise, not everyone is
interested in your products or services. Your first marketing
challenge is to profile those people who are your potential
customers--not waste your time and money trying to sell to the
market at large.

It's a vital step to prevent wasting both your time and
start-up capital. If you're already established in business,
look at your records for information such as where your best
customers live, how frequently they purchase, how much they spend,
and so on. Check government and industry reports for population
statistics, spending habits and trends. If you're just getting
started, ask questions of friends, acquaintances and potential
customers.

You have some idea of who your best customers will be. Ask them
what products, prices and advertising appeal to them. Ask them when
and why they buy, how much they spend and what qualities they look
for in the product or service you plan to offer. Ask what
publications they read. Ask what kind of work they do, if they like
to travel, if they have children or grandchildren. You can learn
this information through surveys or informal conversations.

Once you've collected the information, use the following
segmentation process to define your ideal customer:

Geographics. Where do your best customers live? Do your
products sell better in cities or rural areas? If you're a
retailer, how far are people willing to travel to visit your
shop?

Psychographics. Social class, lifestyle and personality
influence the tastes and spending habits of your customers. Define
your best customer in terms of these characteristics.

Behavioristics. How often do your customers purchase?
Why do they buy? Are they predisposed to buying your product or
service, or do you need to educate them? What benefits are
important to them: Quality? Economy? Status? Convenience?

Distribution channels. Do you sell your products
wholesale or retail? Through catalogs? To corporate buyers? Is
there a way you can reach large groups of customers at once?

When Roberta Leffingwell, owner of Skinny Dog Publishing in
Torrington, Connecticut, researched the potential market for her
personalized children's books, she found that grandparents,
aunts and uncles--not parents--would be her best customers.
"Parents are usually concerned with buying necessities,"
she says. "Grandparents, other relatives and friends are more
likely to buy special books as gifts."

Leffingwell determined that her best customers would be
white-collar workers who valued convenience. And because she must
interact with each customer twice--once to make the sale, and again
to deliver the finished book--geographic proximity was necessary
for cost effectiveness.

After you've defined your best customers, you must figure
out how to get your message to them at a reasonable cost.
Leffingwell discovered that hospitals and large corporations bring
vendors in to offer "on-site shopping" as a convenience
to their employees. Through this shopping program, she reaches
large groups of potential buyers at each location and delivers the
finished books in one stop.

If you sell a variety of products or services, each may require
a different marketing approach. Leffingwell recently added wedding
books to her product line and plans to reach future brides through
joint promotions with wedding photographers and bridal
boutiques.

You can't grow your business without marketing. But why
waste your time and money marketing to the wrong people? Identify
your best customers and send your message directly to them.

Additional Resources

Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Business Creativity for the
'90s, by Michael Michalko (Ten Speed Press, $17.95,
800-841-2665). This book is chock-full of puzzles, challenges and
ideas aimed at stimulating creative thinking.

Innovate or Evaporate: Test and Improve Your
Organization's IQ, Its Innovation Quotient, by James
Higgins (The New Management Publishing Company, $19.95,
800-266-8283). This book will help you move from problem-solving to
innovation. It contains questionnaires that test a company's
strengths in product, process, marketing and management
innovation.

The Creative Problem Solver's Toolbox, by Richard
Fobes (Solutions Through Innovations, $19.75, 800-954-8715).
Subtitled A Complete Course in the Art of Creating Solutions to
Problems of Any Kind, this book promises to help anyone sharpen
problem-solving skills. Each concept is explained, illustrated with
several examples from various fields and followed by practice
exercises.

Mindmapping, by Joyce Wycoff (Berkley Publishing Group,
$12, 800-788-6262). This book includes all the how-tos related to
this vital, creative problem-solving tool.

Software:

Inspiration, a mindmapping and visual-thinking program (Mac or
Windows, $99, 800-877-4292). Download a test copy at the
Inspiration Web site at http://www.inspiration.com .

IdeaFisher, a computerized aid to brainstorming and
problem-solving (Mac or Windows, $99.95, 800-289-4332). Twelve
additional modules are available ($49 each), including New
Product/Service Development, Speech and Presentation, Strategic
Planning and Naming.

The Power Of Creative Emulation

Creative emulation is the art of studying effective techniques
from companies outside your industry and adapting variations to
your own business. Joseph Lukacs, founder of International
Performance Group, a Bridgewater, New Jersey, service that offers
private business coaching to professionals, CEOs, business owners
and financial service professionals, suggests that entrepreneurs
seeking ways to increase their problem-solving skills use creative
emulation as a starting point.

"When you see an innovative concept being used in any
industry, ask yourself, `How can I use this concept in my
business?' If you go outside your industry for ideas and are
the first to implement them within your industry, you'll gain a
decided marketplace advantage," he says.

Lukacs worked with a client who owned a car-cleaning service
targeted to executives. Ongoing business was hard to come by
because clients called for cleaning appointments when and if they
remembered. For solutions, Lukacs looked to a successful dog
groomer--who always had a waiting list of clients--because he used
several simple, yet effective, ways to encourage repeat
business:

1. He sold his service by monthly subscription.

2. He automatically charged his clients' credit cards at the
beginning of each month.

3. He made a standing monthly appointment for each client.

By emulating the dog groomer's tricks, the executive
car-cleaning service locked in sales it could count on.

More Tips For Sparking Creative Solutions

Creative emulation is the art of studying effective techniques
from companies outside your industry and adapting variations to
your own business. Joseph Lukacs, founder of International
Performance Group, a Bridgewater, New Jersey, service that offers
private business coaching to professionals, CEOs, business owners
and financial service professionals, suggests that entrepreneurs
seeking ways to increase their problem-solving skills use creative
emulation as a starting point.

"When you see an innovative concept being used in any
industry, ask yourself, `How can I use this concept in my
business?' If you go outside your industry for ideas and are
the first to implement them within your industry, you'll gain a
decided marketplace advantage," he says.

Lukacs worked with a client who owned a car-cleaning service
targeted to executives. Ongoing business was hard to come by
because clients called for cleaning appointments when and if they
remembered. For solutions, Lukacs looked to a successful dog
groomer--who always had a waiting list of clients--because he used
several simple, yet effective, ways to encourage repeat
business:

1. He sold his service by monthly subscription.

2. He automatically charged his clients' credit cards at the
beginning of each month.

3. He made a standing monthly appointment for each client.

By emulating the dog groomer's tricks, the executive
car-cleaning service locked in sales it could count on.